everlong| hocus pocus

05. just a bunch of hocus pocus

THE THREE WALKED IN silence with Jasper taking the lead. "So, any history here?" Max tried to break the quiet with a question directed at the Weiss girl.
"Well..." Jasper sighed deeply. "Legend has it, the bones of over a hundred children are buried within these walls." Her words hung heavy in the air, causing both Max and Dani's eyes to widen.
     "Oh, great." Dani grumbled.
     "I know, it terrified me for months. But don't worry, they're probably wrong." Jasper reassured them, though even her own voice wavered slightly.
     The trio approached a dilapidated wooden gate. Jasper peered through, catching sight of the infamous Sanderson house that had haunted her childhood. Max and Jasper both turned to each other and maintaining eye contact, tuning out all of Dani's complaining. Jasper shoved open over the gate—it was a familiar motion, yet she had never dared to venture further. Despite being a skeptic, she always hesitated, but tonight felt different.
The stairs creaked underfoot—Jasper's dirty cream colored new balances hit the decaying wood. Dani clutched candy in one hand and Max's hand in the other. The door creaked open, emitting a musty smell of cobwebs and age that made Jasper want to retreat. But her pride kept her going.
     "I can't see a thing" Dani coughed, swabbing away the cobwebs.
"I know there's a light switch somewhere," the curly-haired girl muttered, running her hand along the dusty wall which collected onto her fingertips. Meanwhile, Dani huddled closer to Max, who produced a lighter and flicked it on. Dani shivered at the sight of the flame, while Max beamed proudly.
"Found a lighter." Max informed, smiling at Jasper.
"Found a light switch." Jasper replied, mimicking Max's tone. He smiled, drawing closer to the girl and bringing the flame to the light switch. Jasper flicked the light switch on to revealing an eerie yet fascinating interior filled with potions and cauldrons.
"Woah..." Max breathed in awe. Dani and Jasper exchanged glances. Jasper stooped down to Dani's level, trying to ease her nerves. Despite her own doubts about the witchcraft relics surrounding them, Jasper found herself intrigued.
"Upstairs is where they slept, and that's the cauldron," Jasper pointed, attempting to guide Dani through the unsettling atmosphere. Dani appreciated the effort, though her unease remained palpable. The three explored the premises, nostalgia washing over Jasper as she realized her childhood fear seemed silly now.
She then stumbled upon the infamous spell book, drawing Max and Dani gathered around her while she inspected it with a mix of disgust and fascination. "Check it out. This is the spell book of..." Jasper trailed off to find the writing in the rusty metal. "Winifred Sanderson. It was given to her by the devil himself. The book is bound in...human skin and contains the recipes for her most powerful and evil spells." Jasper explained, her voice tinged with morbid curiosity. Max hovered over her shoulder, inhaling the aroma of freshly baked goods Jasper had made earlier that day. Their proximity momentarily distracted Jasper, who turned abruptly to find Max inches from her face. They both glanced away awkwardly, refocusing on Dani.
"I get the picture." Dani remarks sarcastically. Max glares up from his little sister to meet a peculiar candle nestled among the cobwebs.. His curiosity grew—his eyes glimmering in fascination.
"What's that?" Max asked, drawing Jasper's attention back to the forgotten relic. Memories of her Titi's stories flooded back, and Jasper leaned in, explaining.
"Oh, that's the black flame candle." Jasper whispered, almost saying it into Max's ear. Dani, however, had reached her limit of spooky tales for one night, and Jasper sensed it was time to lighten the mood.
"Hmm. Black flame candle," Max mused theatrically. "made from the fat of a hangman. Legend says that on a full moon it will raise the spirits of the dead when lit by a virgin on Halloween night," Max teases widening his eyes as his mischievous grin grew. Max spun slowly around the wooden column covered in spider webs to reveal his lighter. "Hmm. So let's light the sucker and meet the old broads," Dani shook her head no repeatedly. Max ignored his little sister, bringing his eyes to Jasper, reaching his lighter out. "will you do the honors?"
"Yeah, no," Jasper chuckles, leaning onto the glass that held the book. "I don't feel like freeing a coven of witches tonight." Max feigned disappointment, crossing his arms playfully.
"Well—" Suddenly, a cat screeched, seemingly materializing out of thin air, latching onto Max's neck. Jasper instinctively grabbed Dani's arm, backing away in shock as they watched Max wrestle with the feline dumbfounded until it dashed off, brushing past Jasper's ankle. Max, now on the ground, recovered and glared daggers at it trotting away. "Stupid cat!"
"Okay, Max, fun's over. Let's go," Dani urged, her eyes wide with apprehension. Max rubbed his scratched neck, getting to his feet slowly. "come on, Jasper." The girls slowly walked towards the door, their faces still pale with worry. They weren't superstitious, but being in a witch's house with a black cat attack felt like a sign.
"Max, she's right. Let's go," Jasper agreed firmly.
"Oh, come on. It's just a bunch of hocus pocus," Max teases, trying to regain his laid-back-tie-dyed self. Jasper rolled her eyes, turning back to him with a worried Dani by her side.
"Max, I'm not kidding this time. It's time to go!" Dani insisted urgently. Max ignored her, scoffing as he flicked open the lighter, lighting the candle. "Max no!"
The flame sparked to life, turning black. Max's expression shifted suddenly as the room grew colder, whispers echoing around them. He turned to Jasper, fear evident in his eyes, realizing they had made a grave mistake. Dani shakes, covering her eyes with a gasp. "Uh-oh" a lightbulb pops right on cue. They all started popping spontaneously. Wind blew from inside the cottage. Her curly blonde hair flew up while the small yelps of Dani come within each pop. Shivers run down her spine now that it had seemed colder inside than outside. Jasper runs her fingers through her hair looking around for some sort of logical explanation—but there is none.
The room grew even colder, the wind still blowing through their hair.
Max wonders away from the candle towards the girls. Before he could make it, the ground erupted with green smoke oozing out of the floorboards and began to shake violently. The insides of the floorboards glow green. Jasper lost her balance from the shaking floor, now flying against the door when it came to a sudden stop. The three took a long deep breath from their screaming while Jasper slowly wobbled closer to Dani, her legs shaking. "What happened?" Max gasped. Dani placed her witches hat back upon her head.
     "A virgin...lit the candle." and what seemed right on cue once more, the candles that hadn't been glowing for years began to relight themselves along with the two cauldrons in the room. A loud witches cackle was heard from outside. It rang closer and closer towards the heavy door. In a visceral response of panic, Jasper shoved Dani aside so she could hide as well as herself. The door flung open, the cackling stopping. Three dark, twisted silhouettes stood at the door—Jasper's heart dropping to her toes.
     "We're home!"